Matthews Passionate About Attack on RNC Chairman

Chris Matthews a host on MSNBC, defended his attack on Reince Priebus the Republican National Committee Chairman. Matthews alleged that the GOP had played the race card in their campaign against President Barack Obama. Matthews said the issue was something he was very compassionate about because he has seen white politicians in his lifetime abuse race, including Reagan. He said he could not accept that someone came on his show from the Republican Party and denied it was part of the party’s process. He said he had to call it out on television.

Matthews had told Priebus that the attacks by Republicans on the welfare stance by Obama, as well as the remark by Mitt Romney about the president’s birth certificate were sufficient evidence that Republicans had played their ethnic card, the race card. Matthews said it was an embarrassment to the Republican Party.

His comments visibly upset co-hosts Mika Brzezinksi and Joe Scarborough. A spokesman for the RNC called the comments outlandish and Priebus called them garbage. On Monday night, during an interview with Matthews, Newt Gingrich charged him with racism.

Matthews said he has received a huge outpouring of support. That support he said has come from his bosses and from many fans as far away as Jamaica and Mozambique.

Many in the liberal community champion what Matthews did and his remarks were applauded by many audience members, but many attendees in Tampa at the convention took issue with the way he interrupted Priebus when the RNC chairman was attempting to respond.

Matthews called race the country’s San Andreas Fault and said it was dividing the country along racial lines.